‘ACUTE’ environmental decline recorded in communities across Barnsley due to rising levels of fly-tipping is set to be reversed - after council bosses vowed to take a no-nonsense stance when dealing with offenders.
A meeting, set to be held at Barnsley Town Hall on Tuesday, will see councillors grill a panel of department heads on what is being done to combat growing cases of dumping after a new environmental crime plan - which resulted in increased fines being available - came into force last year.
According to figures obtained by the Chronicle, more than 1,200 fines have been issued in the last financial year, while ten people have been convicted in court.
Another seven people are awaiting a court date - more than doubling the amount of fly-tippers who appeared in the previous year - and vehicles used to transport and dump waste have been seized and crushed in the crackdown.
A council report said: “Environmental blight and crime remain a major demand pressure for the council and continue to be a priority concern for many of our residents.
“Through a combination of measures, interventions and public support and involvement, it is hoped that environmental decline can be reversed in some locations and that communities will see and feel the benefit of more pleasant environments.
“Littering and illegal dumping create problems for communities and result in unnecessary expenses for services - when the environment is degraded, it often indicates broader deterioration, affecting public spaces, quality of life, and people’s sense of pride in their community.”
The national estimated cost of fly-tipping to the public purse rose from £209m in 2015 to more than £400m in 2024, with Barnsley Council alone spending more than £265,000 on clearing and disposing of discarded waste over a 12-month period.
As a result of rising costs and cases, a two-tiered approach to fines has been adopted which sees a £400 penalty for between one and five bags’ worth of waste left, while five or above climbed to £1,000.
Graffiti case fines have doubled from £100 to £200, while householders’ punishments for allowing illegal waste carriers to take rubbish away also doubled from £200 to £400.
“Litter and blight affect how safe and satisfied people feel with where they live,” the report added.
“Environmental crime is identified - year after year - as a priority for the people of Barnsley in the annual community safety survey.
“The council has subsequently applied new maximum fixed penalty tariffs to several environmental offences.
“In July, the Safer Communities team issued Barnsley’s first £1,000 penalty, and another was issued in September 2024.
“It is hoped that increasing the tariff for certain offences will better reflect both the financial cost and social impact of the actual offence, reduce the pressures on the court system and act as a more significant deterrent for those considering committing such offences.”
A targeted approach has been piloted in Measborough Dike, an area in ‘acute environmental decline’, with the greatest per-capita incidents of fly-tipping and waste demand in the borough.
A scheme commenced in the summer with the objective of achieving sustained improvements to the environment and living conditions of residents in the area.
The council report said: “While the scheme will be fully evaluated after 12 months, notable actions so far include intensive engagement with private landlords, ongoing environmental audits, the strategic location of CCTV, increased patrolling from wardens and police and the use of Section 46 enforcement powers.
“It is intended that any learning from the Measborough Dike project will be used to inform future targeted approaches in these other locations.”
